Sunday, April 13, 2008

Sybil's Garage #5

On Friday, I took the day off, and it was amazing. I lounged in bed until 7:30 (when you usually get up at 4:30, this is a luxury), cleaned the house a bit, and spent the rest of the day reading.

I took a nice long bubble bath with LUSH flosty gritter (yayes!) and read the book I'm reviewing for June's Historical Novels Review. And then, after a lunch of popcorn (!!!) I grabbed Sybil's Garage #5 and headed off to the Guadalupe Gardens. In the middle of the day on a Friday no one was around, so I had the place to myself. I sat under a beautiful elm over near the historic orchard and settled in.

According to their site:

A spectrum of stories and poems from the past, present and elsewhen. It is intergalactic love ballads, evil supermarkets, the bad girls of myth, and nostalgia for things that never were. It is our largest issue yet, with ten stories of fiction and eight poems, and everything else you'd expect from the magazine that Behind the Wainscot calls, "a saturation tank of isolation and the sublime."

This is the first issue of Sybil's Garage that I've read, and I was impressed by the range of styles and subjects. I was most impressed by the haunting "The Girl Next Door" by Vylar Kaftan; the strange and lovely "Tattoos of the Sky, Tattoos of the Days" by Alex Dally MacFarlane; and the heartbreaking "Waiting for Spring" by Caspian Gray. Of course, I love most of A. J. Odasso's poetry, so it was fantastic to see "River Girl" in this issue.

If you can get your hands on the issue, it's definitely worth your time to take a read.

"This is a wonderfully quiet, beautiful, emotional novel of family, love, and identity. When this book ended, I contemplated flipping back to the start in order to begin again. I absolutely didn't want to leave the characters I had come to like so much...There's elegant restraint in how Rose articulates love and loss, passion and madness, the rhythm of farm life, the quietude of rural Norway." Unabridged Chick

"This is a novel of quiet depth that evokes strong imagery; it is a story that is stark and humble and at the same time, finely drawn. The awe-inspiring scenery, the backbreaking work, and, at the same time, the appeal of and sense of belonging the women feel for their home are brightly painted through the author’s judicious use of language. A beautiful story."Historical Novels Review

"Julie Rose is a talented writer who deserves a wider audience...the writing is exceptional and proves that independent writers are equally as good, if not better, than those in mainstream publishing." Stuart MacAllister, Independent Books Editor, Historical Novels Review

"One of this novel's greatest strengths is Rose's lovely prose, which is particularly striking when describing the setting. Indeed, it is not difficult to envision the sheer beauty and peacefulness of the fjordland as one reads this novel...Oleanna is recommended to all readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in reading about a time and place not generally featured in the genre." Confessions of an Avid Reader

"Oleanna is a fabulous character. She's strong but personable and definitely the sort of character that you find yourself rooting for...Historical fiction lovers will eat this book up!" A Bookish Affair

"Oleanna by Julie K. Rose is quite simply a beautifully written book...This novel paints such a vivid picture of life at this time in history and you feel drawn in from the very first page...I don’t often turn the last page of a book and want to go right back to the beginning but that’s how this novel has made me feel with all the beautiful passages and the quiet but deep and touching tale." Peeking Between the Pages

"I was astonished at the breathtaking use of setting! Norway sounds absolutely stunning! The flourishing landscapes, forest, and lake all drew me in and made me feel like I was reading about a place both foreign and familiar at the same time. But the novel isn’t just about a refreshing setting, it’s a novel about love, loss, and a woman’s journey to find peace within herself...You do not want to pass up this sweeping novel!"The Lit Bitch

"...I was also very impressed with Ms. Rose's ability to write honestly and naturally and yet so evocatively that it verges on poetic...Oleanna was a very different read for me, and very satisfying, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for a change of pace in historical fiction."Let Them Read Books

"I was very surprised by what an absolutely beautiful story Oleanna is. The writing is superb and every last character is well-developed and unique..."So Many Books, So Little Time

Discussing Oleanna at your next Reading Group or Book Club meeting? I'm available to join you via Skype or teleconference (or in person in Northern California). Drop me an email at juliekrose at gmail.com!

Unrelated to Oleanna, but still cool: there is a line of gorgeous knitwear from Norway called--wait for it--Oleana. You can purchase these beautiful pieces from Chalet in the Woods in Gig Harbor, WA.

About The Pilgrim Glass

The story of an artist, a priest, and a photographer, and the restoration of a stained glass one summer in Vézelay, France. This is no ordinary glass, however; it has a strange, almost hypnotic effect on them, changing them in positive and destructive ways. A modern story with a touch of medieval magic, and a fascinating blend of the past and present, Publishers Weekly calls The Pilgrim Glass "a highly enjoyable French mystery."